The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-01-13

tablishment by the state of permanent drill and
! encampment ground, where appropriate exercises
} may, and Stall, be annually held
For detailed statement in relation to the militia
and frontier forces, refer you to the adjuantgen
the state is indebted for the economy exercised
in this department, and ALSO for the efficiency OF
the force.
QUARANTINE.
1t Is = source of profound grstfcsd n and pleas
to be able to state that not single case OF ye
low fever cholera has appeared within our bord-
ers for four years. lie Legislature has been lib
eral in its appropriations to this service, and
rlsks have been taken with epidemics From the
day quarantine WAS established until its abolition
the rules never relaxed, matter who APP
pealed, or what pre-. ext WAS asa gned.
The people of Texas owe much to that excellent
officer, Dr. >wearingen, who has so faithfully and
ineligently conducted this branch of the public
service, and to him return sincere thanks for his
vigilance and devotion to duty the health Oficer
of the state All his subordinates along the coast
have also rendered efficient aid, and accouht Of
tho great labor aud amount of duty well performed
at Galyes'On, which is our principal seaport, call
special attention TO the valuable services of DR..
Blount. While tina whole department has been
mAnSged 10 the most successful and gratifying
manner, II has also been economically conducted,
and (aB shown by DR.. Swearingen's report, here
with transmtted the sum of So 900 voted for con
ngences IL this respect, has been returned to the
treasury.
PENAL LAWS.
The penalty for carrying arms has caused more
homicides than it ever prevented. Evil disposed
persons, and generally cOwsrds will carry arms
and run the risk of detection on accouut Of the
small penalty. Law abiding and peaceable people
will respect the law, and do not carry arms-hence
they are Always taken at disadvantage There
fore, recommend the increase OF the penalty, and
that IL be made @ felony.
becomes necessary to enact some measure which
will protect every species of property, real and
personal, from willful injury.
My experience in calls for aid to assist in recap
turing escaped persons from the jails leaves no
doubt but that very loose system prevails in
guarding prisoners and believe jaiors and sher-
ifs should be held TO a more strict accountability
in the discharge of their duty in this respect
In another place have alluded to the fact that
men should not be sent to the penitentiary for
short terms | repeat. that no greater legal farce
was ever enacted than to conaemn persons to these
convict prisons for an hour or a day, and the law
that allows it should be repealed.
great number of technical rules have grown up
in the administration of tie cimina law that sub
serve no beneficial end; on the contrary, they clog
rei ard, and often defeat the end5 of justice That
court of last resort shsnld reverse case because
the charge of the Judge who tried it WAS not mail ed
filed, although iu the record and treated as the
charge, or because the ue-that ia, the proper
county where the ohense committed
WAS not proved by the transcript, although no
question was made about it, are remarkable fea-
lures of the law. There are many others of like
character which all, including the courts, agree
should b5 changed or done away with. These
techuicaities are collated in the report of the at
torney-general for 1885, a copy of which here
with transmit, and suggest legislation thereon.
The penalty in the enclosure act of 1884 should
be increased, and jurisdiction given to some court
that will enforce H..
l have never been able to appreciate that clause
in our penal code which declares that insulting
language used towards another should not justify
an assault That the c. ward shall be permitted to
stand and heap abuse on his neighhor, and feel
that his government shields him in 30 doing, is q
species of legal and political ethics which no not
understand. That it is the rule for state to make
towards of her people, and justify system that
tends to humiliate her citizens, is neither sane
toned by the history of our race nor in keeping
with the intelligence of our time. Insulting Ian
guage should be treated az assault, and the man
who resents it with blow should be held as mere
ly acting in self Defense provided he does not in
tlct great bodily harm or endanger life.
OUR INSANE AsYLUNs.
Within the last four years the state has greatly
enlarged the asylum for the insane at Austin. The
grounds have also been improved and beautifed
The place of interment heretofore located in the
park fronting the buildings, has been changed to
more suitable locality half Rile north of the
structure, whittier the remains of those formerly
buried in the old graveyard have been removed.
Among the needed improvements lately added to
the asylum is complete eyCtem of sewerage, and
rejoice to say that the institution in its internal
management is not surpassed in excellence in any
country. | am also pleased to stale that the health
reports are most gratifying.
Within the some period of time we have erected
and completed new asy lum at Terrell, in kant-
man )unty, and the land which it stands,
which is situated in the suburbs Of tine town, has
been paid for in full. 1t was opened for the re-
ception of patients on the = of July, 1885, and it
now shelters and comforts 261 inmates. This in
stitution is also in fine condition and its manage
ment all that can be desii ed For the unsurpassed
condition of these two institutions the country i-
indebted to the boards of management and to Doc
tors Denten and Wallace.
INSTITUTE FOR THE BLIND.
There are now 1'2 students in this institution,
and it's management and general condition are in
all respects highly satisfactory The buildings and
grounds have been enlarged and improved, and
DR.. Rainey's long experience and adAptabily for
superintendent has heen IN the highest degree pro-
motive OF success. To him and the board of man
agement | tender my warniest thanks for their
creditable efficiency.
DEAF AND DUNE INSTITUTE,
At this institute great changes have taken place.
The old wooden buildings have been removed and
in their place substantial brick structures have
been reared. The grounds are tastefully laid out,
and improvements are vitible i'll very direction.
Among the latter may be mentioned the new
building recently completed ana now used rs a
printing and bOok-binding establishment, with
deaf mutes as compUsitOrs, folders and binders
The progress OF the pupils IN education Is very
ma ked, and in all things the management of the
Institute is eminent satisfactory For the
cesS that has attended IL tie people owe much to
goverEi z board as we'll rs to lis devoted snpe
intendant, DR.. Shapard, and l retnrn them th-
tribute of my humble thanks. AT the same time
suggest thai the state is not doing its whole ruIy
by the inmates of this institution While il is true
All education is being given them, it il equally true
that that education is necessarily of little benefit
unless the state goes further and gives them some
trade by which they can make living when they
are discharged from the institute This view Of
the matter suggests the ACCESSIBILITY and wisdom of
enlsrging the printing establishment, to the end
that the printing and binding Of our supreme court
reports and similar state work, may be executed
at that office. 1t 1t conceded on all sides, and the
proposition does not admit OF contradiction, that
the deafmutes make excellent printers and binders,
and that the york they turn ont from the estab-
me is equal to that of any Office in the country.
Therefore, they should be encouraged, and trust
some steps looking the object point out will be
taken by the legislature.
| SUPREME COURT REPORTS
The system of reporting the work of the supreme
court sh0 Id he changed. the reports now cost
the profession S4.0a per volume. This money
comes oht of the pockets of the people | recon-
mend, instead of the present system, that report
er be provided for and paid salary. Competent
men can be had for reasonable salary PER year.
Let him be appointed by the governor, and be re-
quired TO have the printing and binding done at the